Pages

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Getting the Call: Caitlin Sinead

This is a week of inspiration. I love how Caitlin used a contest to build her motivation and get her back on track with her query journey.

How Nightmare on
Query Street Helped Me

Caitlin Sinead

In order to share how great Nightmare on Query Street was
for me, I need to back up a smidge.

I got a revision request on my first full manuscript (which
was also a
contender in Query Kombat, btw!), and while it ended in a rejection, the
agent said he was open to seeing my next project. He really liked my voice and he
really seemed to “get” my writing.

So I had a “request” before I even finished my next book! I
was very excited about this. Knowing that at least one agent would take a look
at it, and an agent who already appreciated my writing, motivated and drove me.

I eagerly sent it to him in mid-October and also started
sending out queries. He asked me questions about comp titles and we had a back
and forth dialogue on genres, which, of course, got me even more excited. This is
it, I thought. This really is it. It’s happening.

But, a few days later, he got back to me and told me it just
wasn’t for him. In fact, he didn’t even read that much of it. This was the same
agent who read my other project twice! And he didn’t think this one was worth
even delving into.

Don’t get me wrong, he was incredibly gracious and generous
with his time and thoughts, so I am not bitter or anything, but it was a hard
blow. In fact, it was the hardest blow I have had yet in my publishing process.

I thought if this agent didn’t like it, no one would.

I stopped querying.

I wanted to hide and lick my wounds and feel sorry for
myself and sip red wine dramatically and stare out the window while looking
morose.

…But this was two days before NMQS.

While I was still excited and grateful to
be part of the contest, I was no longer optimistic about the project. But
NMQS forced me to rejoin the twitterverse and chat with writers. It forced me
to get excited about my project once
again and to realize there are other agents out there, other agents that maybe
would like the project! It forced me to read other queries, which helped remind
me that I’m part of a community and that everyone has ups and downs and we’re
all in this together! (Or at least it feels that way sometimes J)

So even though NMQS didn’t directly result in my getting an
agent, it lifted my spirits at a time when my spirits really needed some
lifting.

And, a couple of weeks later, when an agent told me she
wanted to talk, I was able to enter that conversation with a much more open
mind than I might have otherwise. I was able to believe her when she gushed
about my writing and my book and I was able to whole heartedly do happy dances
when I got the offer.

So, yes, I am very thankful to Michele, Mike, and SC for
putting together such fun contests that help connect and support writers and
lift us up when we’re down.

Caitlin Sinead’s debut novel will be published by Carina Press in 2015. Her writing has also appeared (or is forthcoming) in The Alarmist, The Binnacle, Jersey Devil Press, and Northern Virginia Magazine, among other publications. She earned a master’s degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University. She tweets at @CaitlinSineadJ.